Shoe



April. 2, 1940. E. A. lalalcKr-ORID SHOE Filed Jan. 27, 1938 Patented Apr. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE Application January 27, 1938, Serial No. 187,236

1 Claim.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a exible rubber sole for a shoe with means for attaching the same to the lower surface of the upper in a permanent condition and yet avoid the necessity of increasing the thickness of these parts and their bulkiness; to provide a shoe in which a rubber sole while in a soft exible state, is molded or rolled into close relationship with a coarse fabric covering the top of said rubber and receiving the rubber in the interstices between the threads and to employ an ordinary cellulose cement to firmly bind the sole and upper together so as to make a shoe with a rubber sole attached rmly. v

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sole constructed 2U in accordance with this invention showing the layer of fabric detached from the layer of rubber at the toe and turned backward; v

Fig. 2 is a side of a complete shoe constructed in accordance with this invention, and '-"f Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the toe end of the shoe with the outer sole and inner sole separated.

Many means have been provided for attaching the cuter soles to the inner soles of shoes involving the use of different kinds ofcement, as well as nailing and sewing. This invention is designed to reduce the number of steps in the process of manufacture of the sole and attaching it to the inner sole or bottom of the upper, leavl 1 ing the sole compact and neat in appearance.

For the purpose of this invention, a body of rubber I0, when in a plastic state, has attached to it a fabric'll of a loose woven type to provide interstices I2 for the' purpose of receiving the w rubber. This fabric, preferably a coarse burlap, previously treated with sizing, is rolled or `molded on the rubber while in a plastice condition so that the burlap will become attached to the rubber and a fiat sole material produced. The two parts -l are attached together not only in the ordinary way of attaching fabric to rubber but also by the fact that there are integral projections I3 of rubber extending into the interstices I2 of the burlap and, in fact, passing all the way through the burlap, so that they are clearly visible on the o-pposite. surface. This treatment necessarily anchors the burlap firmly to the rubber and from the sheets of this compound material are cut soles for the shoes, as shown in Fig. l. These soles, having been cut to the proper shape and size, are cemented to the bottom of the upper I4 of the shoe or to the insole, if the insole is located in proper position in the shoe. A cellulose cement or form of pyroxylin, or the like, will hold the burlap to the bottom or insole of the shoe, even more rmly than the burlap is held to the rubber outsole.

This constitutes a very strong and durable construction and one which will not deteriorate by moisture. In fact, if it is attempted to separate the outer sole from the upper by main force it will be found that the burlap adheres to the bottom of the insole. In other words, the rubber can be pulled off the burlap before the burlap will give away from the surface'above it. That, however, does not occur in any ordinary wear of the shoe. This construction covers the entire upper surface of the outsole and extends over the heel, preferably.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claim, but what I claim is:

As an article of manufacture, a shoe comprising an outer sole of rubber covered with a layer of loosely woven relatively hard burlap, having a coarse weave so that there are wide interstices through it, embodied in the top surface of the rubber to such an extent that the rubber passes through the interstices in the woven burlap and is visible on the top surface thereof, an upper extending down over said burlap, and a cellulose cement for securing the burlap to the upper with greater resistance than that with which the burlap coheres to the rubber.

ERNEST A. BICKFORD. 

